Live Comedy

This month’s comedy night at the Bramall at the University of Birmingham sees a change of room, with a smaller audience congregating in one of the ‘domes’ on the top floor of the building, making for a more intimate comedy gig than the main hall allows. And with most of the university’s students being at home for Easter it soon becomes clear that this is, in Nathan Caton’s words, a very “non-student student gig”.

Craig Murray compères (failing, I was later informed, to mention that he is in fact the face of the Plusnet adverts). Here we have a prime example of a comedian who knows how to work a room; there was none of the anxiety that often comes with an MC’s opening skit, where they inevitably pick on a few unfortunate audience members. Murray did speak to many members of his audience but his friendly demeanour eliminated any nerves. His anecdotes are packed with energy, effortlessly finding hilarity in the mundane whilst also proving himself to be excellent at bouncing off the audience’s ideas, allowing an enjoyable atmosphere to emerge.

The first act to be introduced is Australian Damian Clark, a powerhouse of comedic frenzy. Almost childlike in his excitement at apparently everything he experiences, he is incredibly endearing as a performer. Damian was able to comment on British culture whilst being one step removed from those he talks about, having only lived in England for four years, and he doesn’t claim to understand everything about the culture, which is in itself something not often seen within stand up performers. Getting worked up about seemingly monotonous aspects of life, Clark’s material builds in its absurdity as it progresses, even becoming rather sinister towards the end of his set, which, he notes, ran over considerably, perhaps by almost fifteen minutes. Neither he nor the audience seemed to mind.

The final act on the bill, as alluded to earlier, is the markedly laid-back Nathan Caton. His perspective on numerous political and social issues is refreshingly down to earth, and he certainly does not fear stating controversial opinions, such as his sarcastic retorts about allegations against the late Michael Jackson. Not only can Nathan back up his bold claims, he also manages to squeeze every last laugh out of them, and one can’t help but wonder if he is saying what the majority of us are thinking anyway. Nathan Caton is touring the UK with his latest solo hour this year; purchase your tickets here.

To finally and officially put face to the voice of Stuart Goldsmith has been a very long time coming. I have listened to his podcast The Comedian’s Comedianfor years but it’s strange to have a visual rather than just an audio; strange not to be wearing earphones. Goldsmith’s debut tour kicks off at Birmingham’s Glee Club; the studio being satisfyingly busy and Stu holding his ground incredibly well.

Stuart Goldsmith is the genuine article with no showing off and no false illusion of power. Goldsmith gives the humble impression of being a just guy stood in front of a group of people and telling a few anecdotes, but his act far exceeds that description. Any fan of the podcast will already know that Stuart is a lovely guy: that’s why we bought tickets. But what I certainly wasn’t expecting was for him to be half as commanding in front of an audience as he effortlessly was. Any of the self-doubt he so often alludes to quickly becomes a faint memory as Stu recounts stories of his childhood and adolescence. And he is just so nice. Even an irritating drunk lady who slurred through the majority of the show was dealt with reasonably and politely by Stu who quickly worked to smooth over the slightly sour feeling in the air, referring to it as “gently harassing a talkative woman”.

Goldsmith’s comedy is clear, succinct and not self-indulgent. His show is pleasingly structured and the final moments of the hour are a thing of absolute beauty. It’s very apparent that he knows how to craft a show and there is an authentic respect for performance as an art form as well as consideration of the audience throughout. The hours of interviewing all manner of comedic performers has clearly had an impact on Goldsmith’s own craft in a way that I doubt can be said for the majority of podcasting stand up comedians.

And Stuart’s audience is as passionate about the craft as he, evident in the large number of people that stayed behind afterwards to ask questions about the podcast in a group-discussion setting. We chatted about the issues of censorship in broadcasting peoples’ opinions as well as other things that, somewhat ironically, I am unable to disclose. So, after an evening of suitably nerdy entertainment I am left with my feelings of appreciation towards comedy as an art form, and Goldsmith’s informed and pioneering podcast itself, being as strong as ever. Let this serve as a strong recommendation of Stuart Goldsmith’s tour show, An Hour of your life well spent.

Comedy nights at the Bramall on the University of Birmingham campus seem to be getting busier each month, and this is in part surely a result of the increasingly diverse nature of its lineups. The compère for last week’s event was Manchester comic Bethany Black; a performer with a subtle, untroubled confidence on stage that speaks for itself, without any need for an exaggeration of character to make up for underlying insecurities often present in the stand up business. I’m unsure as to whether she would be surprised to hear that she gives this impression, but Bethany has an incredibly cool and calm manner. She successfully balances sinister elements of narrative with a down-to-earth tone and her style of audience interaction is reassuringly laid back.

Bobby Mair

Bobby Mair, a previous Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy, followed. Mair’s performance was surprisingly subdued, playing up to the persona of perhaps a vulnerable, oddly menacing child. Silences were more often utilised than shouting in this set, which is not an element of his performance I expected but gave his whole character a whole lot more substance and grit. With a host of near-one-liners, this comedian displayed a knack for making written material sound impulsive, whilst keeping an intriguing distance between his true self and the audience at all times throughout.

The final act of the evening was Zoe Lyons, a recognisable face from programmes including Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo. Her arrival at the Bramall was clearly well appreciated by those in attendance, with her accessible observations regarding the differences between cultures getting the biggest laughs. Lyons is very physically and vocally expressive in performance, indicating a lot about each person’s character and background through her depiction of their voice, and her impressions of various elements of British wildlife added an absurdist twist to her material.

It is always a signal of a friendly, supportive atmosphere at a comedy gig when the compère decides to sit with the rest of the audience and watch the acts. That seems to sum up the feel of the monthly comedy nights at Bramall Hall in Birmingham, and is perhaps why audiences are consistently keen.

Daliso Chaponda is not a comic I was familiar with prior to Bramall Hall’s most recent comedy night but he is certainly an example of someone with a great enthusiasm and respect for the craft of stand up comedy, frequently being the one laughing the loudest at the rest of the evening’s entertainment. Chaponda himself is an extremely endearing performer, speaking in hushed tones with the audience quietening in order to listen. This somewhat delicate demeanour contrasts delightfully against the occasional expletive or crude remark, making his set one that ticked all the boxes, as well as providing that little bit of extra shock factor.

John Robertson

With this next act being the proud creator of live-action videogame The Dark Room (look it up if you haven’t already), I was unsure of what to expect from Australian comic John Robertson. I was expecting, however, that he would naturally require a microphone to amplify his voice across the relatively large music hall, but alas he did not. Robertson is the epitome of the naughty boy at school who everyone knows is an attention seeker (he is, of course, a stand up comedian) but is still the most popular boy in the class. Incredibly loud and well-articulated, this act surely won’t please every audience member but that didn’t seem to matter with so many people being on board from the get-go anyway. The next twenty minutes were a storm of unpredictability, shouting, audience interaction and ideas that weren’t always followed through, with the majority of us being left wanting more.

Ellie Taylor, last June’s Comedian of the Month and presenter of popular makeover programme Snog, Marry, Avoid, is a confident presence on stage, with an aptitude for audience communication as well as storytelling. Her height, while providing a space for material about her time spent as a model, allows Taylor’s stand up to take on a more physical element. The fact that this comedian is not afraid to be goofy or silly definitely works in her favour, with a warmth to anecdotes that ensures an immediate audience connection. Seeing a live performance from Ellie Taylor was something that had been on my to-do list for a long time and her set showed great promise for a fantastic new Edinburgh show in August 2016.

Autumn 2015 signals a new season of comedy at the University of Birmingham’s Bramall Hall with the second event doing predictably well in terms of its line up, with Scott Bennett, Angela Barnes and Gary Delaney performing.

The night was compèred by likeable Yorshireman Scott Bennett, who recently performed his debut stand up hour at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, tickling audiences with anecdotes about his recently retired and slightly mental father. His stories are instantly easy to relate to, speaking of elements of family life that most of us can sift through and relate to at least parts of. Bennett clearly has had a lot of experience as a club host, with an ability to communicate effortlessly with multiple age groups within an audience.

Angela Barnes has returned from August’s Edinburgh Festival with a confidence to her new material that is pleasing to see. Deeply personal and bordering on self-depreciating, Barnes is a comic who knows how to set her audience at ease, with a presence that does not overbear but lines that sometimes cut delightfully sharp. Angela is the voice in all of our heads and it is a relief to hear someone openly talk about hating things that everyone else claims to love. She’s sweet, friendly and endlessly relatable, but with an undeniably wicked streak.

Gary Delaney is the first comedian to return to the Bramall Hall comedy night, speaking of how much he enjoyed the venue and audience last year. Once again Delaney amazed with his impressive back catalogue of memorised material, which he effectively manipulated to suit the feel of the room. Though perhaps a bit impersonal at times due the nature of being a one-liner comic, Gary successfully incorporated technology into his set which made for a refreshing change. He clearly enjoyed the gig and this made the performance feel a little outside of the norm, with Delaney’s infectious positivity ensuring that his whole audience was on side.

There’s something inspiring about attending a comedy show, which you have no prior information about other than a name, and discovering something quite remarkable. Witnessing a preview of Jonny Awsum’s second musical stand up show (at the MAC in Birmingham, of course) was certainly a unique experience, with the comic bringing boxes of mysterious objects on stage which were to be used throughout the hour, starting with three audience members on the front row who were supplied with plastic silver trumpets.

It is really no surprise that a large portion of his comedy work is in the form of being the ‘warm-up guy,’ or Hype Man as it is apparently called, for the energy Jonny managed to summon from a mixed-aged Thursday night crowd in Birmingham was admirable. One reason for the sustained high-octane feel of the show was that the audience as a whole were called to action regularly, whether that be to cheer performers on in their harmonica solos, shout back obscenities, or simply hum along to songs. Just because some of us weren’t picked on, it doesn’t mean that we weren’t a crucial part of the show.

The most applaudable aspect of Jonny Awsum’s performance was that no audience member was ever the butt of the joke, which made for unexpectedly enjoyable audience participation. Jonny enabled us to create something fantastic as a group and it unified us all as one; I chatted to people I’d never have mixed with in my daily life due to age and general background and that is a testament to this comedian’s positive attitude and the uplifting nature of his show as a whole.

Jonny Awsum’s latest musical extravaganza is magnificent: exciting and skilfully crafted. It seemed as though he didn’t even need to be doing previews at this point in late July, but the crowd were certainly pleased that he was. Musical, interactive comedy is not my preferred style of entertainment, but this show made it felt like it could be.

Jonny Awsum is currently performing his show Everything Is Awsum at the Edinburgh Festival.

Gavin Webster is a comedian I have very much looked forward to seeing in the flesh, having made him my Comedian Of The Month last August. I finally managed to catch a preview of this high-energy Geordie comic’s latest show The Sexist’s Sexist at the MAC in Birmingham.

Gavin begins with his tried and tested material; clearly the comic’s safety net of top-quality, trustworthy gags. From the early stages of the show, Webster showed an obvious competency, coming across as a man who gets the job done and gets it done well. He exudes natural charm and a genuine warmth, which came across progressively strongly as the hour passed by and references to friends and family were made, such as his late dad’s blunt life advice, which was a profound moment to say the least.

The Sexist’s Sexist is not what it may first appear from studying the poster or name alone: it is a well-crafted, personal hour which showcases Webster’s story-telling skills and admirable casual confidence. Talking of his delight at being crowned Comedian’s Comedian on Christmas Eve last year, Gavin demonstrated to us all why he received the award in the first place; not only is he a lovely guy but he also clearly understands his creative responsibilities as a stand up. He expertly toes the line between comfort and danger, teasing us with elements of the two.

Gavin Webster’s latest show is a satisfying blend of home comforts and absurdist anecdotes, making him one to watch at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

Gavin Webster is currently performing his show The Sexist’s Sexist at the Edinburgh Festival.

If you like your comedy shows to also be an educational experience, then Alfie Moore’s latest stand up hour A Fair Cop Stands Up may just be the show for you. Drawing upon his many years of experience as a policeman in Scunthorpe, Moore embarks on an hour of insightful observations and hilarious hypothetical problem solving. I caught a preview of the show at Birmingham’s MAC.

Alfie Moore arrived onstage armed with an abundance of facts and statistics which he delivered throughout the hour, using them as a springboard for jokes and anecdotes. There were occasional breathtaking moments of bitter sarcasm that gave the whole show a darker edge, such as Moore’s interjection regarding minority groups in the force: “we don’t allow people who are colourblind into the police force as they wouldn’t know who to stop search”. Other elements, however, remained endearing with the comic’s obvious nice character shining through, which served as an intriguing contrast against the shocking ironies of some of his lines.

Here we have a stand up who undeniably cares for his craft a great deal and the hours of work behind the material showed in the pages of notes he flicked through between segments. It felt at times that he was perhaps a little too eager to generalise ‘the public’ and our likes and dislikes, maybe this is a policeman’s trait, with some observational assumptions sneaking in as Alfie tried to tie his material together into a definitive narrative. I’m sure this is something he can work on over the coming weeks as the final parts of the show come together; it’s just a case of fine-tuning now.

Alfie Moore is currently performing preview shows of A Fair Cop Stands Up across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.

Rob Rouse is a name I knew, but a face I did not, so it was great to finally be able to put a face to the name of this rising star in stand up comedy, at one of the Edinbrum Preview nights at the MAC in Birmingham.

Rob’s energy is consistently intense for the duration of his time on stage, perhaps reflecting who he is as a person. The general enthusiasm he presents his show with is admirable and would probably have been enough to see him through even if his material was sub-standard. But, of course this wasn’t the case and Rob’s delivery merely served to enhance what is already a well crafted, and satisfyingly personal hour, with material about his ‘wife’ and two young children, as well as delving (perhaps a little too far) into the details of his own health and recent visits to the doctor.

Throughout the show, especially towards the end, it appeared that a lot of what was being said was entirely impulsive, with Rouse bouncing off the audience as well as exploring his own ideas within the written show a little further. He showed skill in his noticing of which parts got the best reaction and running further with them, persistently driving ideas through to, and often past, their apparent conclusions, in order to get the most out of his material. Not only does this show great artistic bravery as a performer, it also allowed Rouse to demonstrate what an able storyteller he is, often delivering hilarious anecdotes that didn’t necessarily need any punch lines as such. The look in his eyes told us he couldn’t quite believe this untested, spontaneous material was going so well, which only added to the enjoyable element of comedic danger present in the room.

This hyperactive evening of comedy was greatly enjoyed by Rob’s audience and certainly, it was clear, by the comedian himself. It will be interesting to compare the end product of this show to the inner workings we were able to see.

Angela Barnes is a name I have followed for quite a while now, and I’ve even interviewed her, but only recently found the opportunity to see her perform live at the MAC in Birmingham: a preview of her second stand up show, Come As You Are.

Things have been changing for Angela in recent times. She has found love, had various strange health hiccups and her friends have all started having children. And though she is keen to share all that she has learned with her audiences, it is clear that her adventures and successes career-wise have not gone to her head. Her general demeanour on stage is very approachable and friendly, which made the whole affair feel a little like a lovely, small village meeting rather than a stand up show, particularly as a result of the decision to abandon the microphone early on.

The show itself oozed competence and natural flair, despite it being a work-in-progress with infrequent pauses and note scribbling (which was of course to be expected). The content fitted together well and it felt as though we, as an audience, left feeling like more of a collective, such is the relatability of Angela’s material.

This new hour contains multiple incredibly dark elements (a sick reference to Nigella Lawson here, an anecdote about a lonely pensioner there) which seem to crop up out of nowhere and really lifted the whole experience to a new level. Often following up her delightfully grim comments with questions like “was that too dark?” as though that’s a bad thing makes me worry that Angela might actually remove them from the show, but I greatly hope that she keeps them in. I’d argue that there’s still room for her to add more.

Angela Barnes is currently performing preview shows of Come As You Are across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.